This application claims priority from Canadian patent application number 2,272,559, filed May 21, 1999, which is pending.
This invention relates to an apparatus for manipulating and carrying very large articles in confined spaces. More particularly, the invention relates to a vehicle adapted to transport and manipulate the massive tires used on mining equipment in the confined space of underground mines.
The concept of manipulating a large article in confined space is, of course, dependent upon the size of the space and the size of the article. It could include a small model handling articles which are small in real terms but large in comparison to the space available. Thus, while the invention is intended for operation in large scale mining operations, it may equally be used in model operations if desired. Such model operations may be useful in operator training.
Tires used on underground equipment may be gigantic. For example, a single tire may weigh well over 3000 lbs. and as much as 20,000 lbs. and may have a diameter of well over 10 feet. The cost of such tires may be in the region of $5,000.00-$15,000.00.
Frequently, the dimensions of a mine tunnel which accommodates mining equipment using such tires may be 16 feet in width and 16 feet in height. In most cases the height is much less than 16 feet since various impedimenta, e.g. air ducts etc., are often suspended from the ceiling. Such impedimenta may not impede the operation of the mining equipment with the tires installed at the ends of horizontal axles extending laterally across the tunnel but may present serious problems if a tire must be changed.
For the above reasons, if a tire fails during use in the mine, it has been common practice to drive the respective vehicle where repairs are convenient. This could be several hours away. When the vehicle arrives at such a place the tire is often damaged beyond repair at great financial loss.
In surface mine applications massive tires for use with massive vehicles have frequently been handled by heavy carrier service vehicles having an articulated boom operated from the top of a support tower, called a mast, for lifting and carrying the tire. The mast must be tall enough for the boom to clear upward projections from the service vehicle, e.g. the cab. It is not possible to use such vehicles in an underground mine environment since its physical size and the size and operation of the of the articulated boom would provide projecting elbows beyond the limits of the mine tunnel.
Such a vehicle equipped with gripper arms projecting in front of it to carry the tire is the TireHand (trademark) manufactured by Iowa Mold Tooling (IMT). Such a machine is useful in an underground environment but the overall size of the truck carrier and the combined height of the mast and the highest peak of the angled articulated boom would cause problems. It must be limited by the ceiling impedimenta in an underground mine tunnel to probably around 12 feet for stationary equipment and around 9 feet for moving equipment. Manipulation of a tire on a wheel of massive mining machinery inevitably causes high peaking of an articulated boom above the top of the mast.
It would be desirable to provide handling apparatus which will not only operate to carry a replacement tire to a disabled vehicle in a mine tunnel but will also locate it in a position for easy replacement. Still further, it would be desirable that such apparatus may be provided with equipment to actually change the tire.
The present inventors have addressed these problems.
Accordingly the invention provides a vehicle to transport and manipulate large articles in confined spaces. The vehicle has article manipulating equipment mounted on a boom thereof, the large article handling equipment comprising a mast, a first short boom and a second boom having a telescopic inner boom. The inner boom being slidable telescopically into and out of the second moveable boom section. The second moveable boom being tiltably supported at the end of the boom section. The boom section is tiltably supported at the end of the mast which is rotatable about a vertical axis with respect to the vehicle, a distal end of the inner boom section supporting gripping equipment for said large article, said unit being adjustably positionable on said inner is boom section.
The mast may be rotatable about a vertical axis and a moveable boom section may be hinged to an upper end of the mast through a horizontal axis. The second moveable boom carries the telescopic inner boom to be moveable into and out of a distal end of the second boom.
The mast is rotatable through a continuous 360xc2x0 rotation. It may be generally vertical and may have a height for travelling of less than 8 feet.
The length of the mast should be sufficient to allow manipulation of the article but not so great as to foul the ceiling of an underground mine tunnel. Thus, if impedimenta on the ceiling of the tunnel effectively limits tunnel height to around 12 feet, then the combined height of the vehicle and the mast with the boom sections extended to allow for picking up of a tire off the deck would be a maximum of not more than 12 feet.